Litquake 2011 Brings the Awesome (and FREE) Literary Events

October means the beginning of Fall, Halloween, harvests, unaturally hot weather in the Bay, and most importantly, the Litquake Literary Festival. Literature fiends can go full geek and see a crapload of literary events around the city, culminating in the ultimate event: Litcrawl. Think of a bar crawl, except with less alcohol and more thick-rimmed black glasses and angsty poetry. However, this is San Francisco, so literary types are pretty much the state mascot. But it’s great to have lots of it in one night.

Litquake was was started by a couple of friends sitting around a bar talking about their favorite novels and such, and thinking “hey, we should start a literary reading series.” Now, many of us have made big plans with friends while sitting around drinks- how many times have you vowed to start a band or start a business?- but these folks kept their word and over a decade later, it’s now a San Francisco mainstay.

This year’s festival has something for everyone- everything from pop culture czar Chuck Klosterman to a panel on historical Irish literature. Best of all, most events are pretty cheap, if not FREE. You can check out this year’s full schedule, but here are some highlights of the FREE events and of interest to fellow Broke-Asses:

Saturday, October 8, 3:00pm:  Indie Publishing: Is Self-Publishing the New Black? Variety Preview Room, 582 Market St.

Should you self-publish or perish?

 October 9, 2011, 2:00 PM: Thinking, Believing, Living: The Human as Being; Variety Preview Room, 582 Market St.

What does it mean to be human? Who are we? Are we different from robots? What makes it different?  Can you handle these deep thoughts on a Monday afternoon?

 October 9, 2011, 4:00 PM: “That’s My F*cking Stool!”, Vesuvio, 255 Columbus Ave.

Some of the best ideas for a novel are conceived at a bar. Why not read some of them out loud at a bar?

October 10, 2011, 6:00 PM, The Best Novels You Haven’t Read;  The Book Club of California,  312 Sutter St., Suite 500

Ever wonder why Twilight and The Help are so popular? For every one of these, there must be thousands of masterpieces you haven’t heard of.

October 10, 2011, 7:00 PM: Original Shorts: Failure to Commit,  The Lone Palm, 3394 22nd St.

Six authors will look deep into the heart of the flaky soul and emerge with original short stories on the theme of failing to commit.

October 11, 2011, 7:30 PM: Litquake in the Bookstore: Chuck Klosterman at The Booksmith, 1644 Haight St.

Questions to ask Chuck: Why is he so awesome? Can he tell us about his theory about Saved By the Bell? Why can’t I have his career?

 October 14, 2011, 7:00 PM: Rock Out with Your Book Out: Music Writers and Musicians Who Write,  Make-Out Room, 3225 22nd St. [This one is actually a $5-$10 sliding scale, but seems worth it]

Litquake’s music night returns to the festival featuring a host of local scribblers and musicians who scribble. Choice insights into everything from Todd Rundgren to blues and hip-hop, The Who’s Quadrophenia, and the post-punk scene of late-’70s Birmingham.

 Check out the full schedule on the website.

Photocredit: www.litquake.org